Tonga earthquakes

M6.0 earthquake 87 km E of Hihifo, Tonga

A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck 87 km E of Hihifo, Tonga on Sat, Apr 1, 1972, 10:01 PM GMT-11 (09:01 UTC), 9 km (5 mi) below the surface.

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Where this earthquake was located, with the others nearby. Select one for its page.

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The earthquake

Magnitude
6.0 (mw), strong
Local time
UTC
1972-04-02 09:01:22 UTC
Depth
8.7 km (5.4 mi), shallow
Epicenter
16.077° S, 172.990° W
Region
Tonga
Tsunami flag
No
Status
Reviewed by a seismologist

Did you feel it?

No one has reported feeling this quake to the USGS.

How well it is located

Reviewed by a seismologist.

Magnitude uncertainty
±0.20
Depth from
From location

Nearest places

Distance and direction from each place to the epicenter, with its forecast.

Nearby

Within 100 km, magnitude 2.5 and up: 3 in the 60 days after this one and 1 in the 30 days before it.

After

Before

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Sources

From the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program and its partner networks, event iscgem774049. Read Tue, Sep 22, 2026, 8:30 PM UTC.